So far he had been working under the radar, but it had been a month and a half since he had been back and he was itching to have his arrow back in his hands. He didn't bother with James Holder or Deathstroke knowing that they would have their match soon and instead focused on his plan for what would feel in his IT woes, since he wouldn't be involving Felicity this time around, he decided to call on an old friend. In his last life, he never reached out to her after he got away from Hong Kong. It was something that he regretted, he ignored a great ally and friend because of a petty argument that he started. In this life, he was more than willing to swallow his pride and reach out to her or rather her mentor. Takeda was able to get in contact with Emily about helping him. He was starting to doubt that she would be willing to help him because he had successfully taken care of Deathstroke, made his debut as the hood, and told Dig his secret about being a vigilante and there was still no sign that she planned on helping him. His last resort would be to higher anonymous hackers, which he didn't want to do unless he was left with no other choice.
Now that Diggle knew it made things so much easier for him to run his day-to-day things. John had been a rock that had helped him see that he could do more than just cross off names on a list to save lives. And had always reminded him that this life he was living was worthless if he didn't cherish the things that truly mattered. He had no idea whether or not keeping Felicity out of this was possible, but he would be damned if he didn't try. He could involve in disrupting innocent lives again. He planned to only involve people who he knew could protect themselves if he could help it.
While he waited for Dig to make his decision on whether or not to join just as he did the first time around, he made his way home aware of what was waiting on him. Oliver knew that he was going to have to just bite the bullet because the longer he waited the worse it would be. He wasn't overly concerned, if Diggle had decided to help him know he was a killer, his chances had to be significantly better this time around since he had yet to kill anyone besides Deathstroke. "Where were you? Oliver had so far stuck to his decision to not involve Laurel in what he was doing, but it was hard to resist the urge to tell her… everything. When he could so clearly see the disappointment in her eyes, but he could live being disappointed in himself, better than he can deal with her dying in his arms once again.
"What are you doing here?" He had never forgotten how kind and forgiven Laurel was. How could he after all even when he had cheated on her with her sister and even caused them to be separated for years, she still worried about his well-being. "I heard about the shooting and wanted to make sure you were okay" he had no choice but to just go through the motions in the face of her obvious concern. Seeing that he had nothing to say for himself, Laurel got angry, "I knocked on the door and found a family terrified for you because they had no idea where you were. There were bullets flying and a madman with an arrow and you were nowhere to be found. You are so selfish and self-centered, not even five years on a deserted island can change that, huh." they both flinched at her words. She hadn't intended to say something so harsh, but now that it was out she didn't want to take it back. Maybe it would be the jolt he needed for him to realize that he needed to stop pushing everyone away, only to be left speechless when he only thanked her for coming.
Laurel left angry dejected and furious that Oliver was squandering the new life he had been given by closing himself off to everyone. She knew Oliver well enough that should see from a mile away that he was struggling, but she didn't know how to be there for him when he wouldn't let her. "Speedy, you can come out now."
"I wasn't sure if I should interfere, things got a little tense." Seeing the look on her brother's face she decided to forgo laying in on him this time, it seemed that Laurel had really put him through the ringer. She watched him go upstairs, resolving to have a talk with him later, again. Oliver went and got ready for bed with the intent of clearing Peter Declan's name and crossing Jason Brodeur off his list.
He spent the next morning refreshing himself on Declan's case and twisting Diggle's arm a little. He wanted to do everything possible to ensure that Dig would make the choice to join his side again. One ten o'clock meeting with Matt Istook and he had the file against Brodeur. The file found its way to the front page of every Enivermontel website without any credibility in Star City. He didn't relax though he had only a day left to get a confession from Brodeur. He went after the henchman first this time not, he had no plans of breaking into the prison again. While extracting Brodeur's confession he was careful to leave no marks. He needed this to be clean enough to where Peter could at least get acquitted. Just as he planned Peter Declan was released and able to see his daughter. Still having received no word from Emily, he decided to turn his energy into getting rid of od Jason Claybourne without triggering the spirling of his son. He even racked his brain for a way to ensure that Chase got help, but soon realized that that was outside of his ability. Although it was inside his ability to have a hit put out on the man through the Brativa with the orders to make it look accidental. Three days later, Jason Clayborne was killed in a car accident. Oliver felt like this was the best way to go about it, but would still definitely keep an eye out for Chase.
Training with Diggle felt like cheating in his current state. He made sure to pull his punches and operate at half capacity, but he knew that he was still miles better than he was when he was really twenty-seven. Diggle had been unable to land any licks on him since they had started training two hours again. He was finally able to land a blow when let his guard down. When their sparring match was finally done with, Dig brought up the bank robber that had shot a cop. He enjoyed the look of surprise that Dig showed him when he agreed to stop the bank robbers from hurting anyone else. "I'll be happy to help find the guys that did this, but first I have a painfully dull evening lunch due to some family friends." Oliver would have a better relationship with his family this time around, he vowed it to himself.
His mother had yet to formally be told about the lunch date and decided to meet up with Tommy. He wanted to keep his best friends together this time around, both deserved a happy ending. "Hey, Tommy I wanted to ask you something." Tommy hadn't spent much time with Oliver since he had been rescued off the island, so he was surprised that Oliver was reaching out to him. "I'm sorry that I've been distant since I got back and the first time I reach out to you is to ask for a favor… be good to her." Tommy immediately knew who they were talking about and couldn't help but ask, "How did you know?"
"I might have been stuck on an island for five years, but I can still read my best friends. I know you, Tommy. You don't have to try to spare my feelings by hiding what you feel for Laurel." Tommy couldn't help but see Oliver in an entirely new light. For the first time, he was struck with the thought that Ollie had really changed. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," After getting the confirmation that it really was okay, Tommy asked for advice on how to show her that he was serious about wanting a relationship. They were able to conceive the idea of setting up a fundraiser to save CNRI. They both agreed that for their plan to work Tommy would be the one in charge of getting Laurel on board and he would take a back seat to everything. "Let me know if you need anything from me." Both men left the company of each other with lifted spirits. This time around Tommy was one the first to know about his nightclub.
The lunch with the Bowens was just as dreadful as he remembered, he counted down to the seconds before Dig came to tell him about the call. He barely managed to not leave as soon as he saw his friend, despite knowing that his mother would be upset. He would do his best to make it up to her. This time the entire Reston family were sent to prison for their crimes.
He was able to stay for the entirety of Tommy's party this time around. He took what his mother throw at him knowing that he should let her get it all out. He learned the hard way that the hardest thing for his family and friends that he was keeping, but the non-answers. The vagueness of why he couldn't be there for them. He desperately wanted to try to give them some type of comfort, but he wasn't sure that it was possible.
The decision to leave the huntress to her own devices this time around was made early on. He knew how to keep his mother from being hurt and nothing good came from training. If anything he made her more dangerous and he could see that now, aside from protecting his family he would interfere with what she was planning. The lunch albeit boring was a nice change to the everyday hustle and bustle of his past life, as he has taken to calling it."Hello, Mrs, Queen, what a surprise to see you here." Oliver looked up from his desert expecting to see someone from his mother's yoga class or a colleague from work, but much to his surprise that was far from the case. "Emily, nice to see you again. What can I do for you?" Moria for all her faults did genuinely want to help people, even the ones in the glades, it is just that her family came first.
"I apologize I did not mean to interrupt your lunch. I just wanted to thank you want again for your generous donation to the housing commission projects for the glades. It will go a long way towards helping make better more affordable housing. I'll let you get back to your lunch, thank you once again." Oliver had to say Amadanda did wear the mask well, the rich young socialite. If they hadn't trained together he didn't think he would have any idea of who she was besides what she showed him. "Mom, who was that?" After she had walked away back to her seat. Moira's brain peaked at the sight of her son's curiosity.
"Emily Thorne is a well-known philanthropist. She spends most of her time traveling around the world performing good deeds." Oliver looked over to where Emily was sitting across the restaurant from them. "You can go over and talk to her son, I won't be offended." Moira followed his gauze and the look of want in her son's eyes.
Emily knew that when Oliver reached out to her, it had to be because of something big, after all after their last meeting he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her. "I was beginning to doubt whether or not you were going to show up." She smiled at his words, unlike him, she thought things through before coming barreling in, and when she said as much Oliver laughed knowing that her words were the truth. "Let's cut the crap, Oliver. What do you want from me, because I seem to recall that the last time we meet I was narrow-minded and broken?"
"I was a hypocrite and a total idiot to say that. We were all broken that is why they took us. We were broken, but willing to be built back up as long as we could have our revenge. " Emily would have liked for those words not to affect her in any way, but she knew that wasn't the case. She still wouldn't be letting Oliver off the hook so easily though. "I'm sure that what you asked me for has less to do with you wanting to apologize and more to do with Starling City's new guardian angel."
"Your right, but we can't talk about it here. I'm going to contact you so that we could meet somewhere more private." Emily's curiosity had been peeked so she agreed to give Oliver her number, before shooing her away from her table. They were both very aware of his mother and others watching them. "Now that you have gotten what you want and successfully made us the center of attention I think you should go back to your table." He listened to her considering himself lucky that the conversation had remained civil thus far. "Well, that seemed to go well," Moria commented almost as soon as he sat down.
"It's more like she was trying to get me away from her table. Hate to disappoint Mom, but I don't think she likes me." Moria raised an eyebrow at his words, "Do you like her? It seems to me that you have been curious about her since you laid eyes on her." Clearly, Oliver had an avid interest in and Moria wanted to do her best to nurture it."It's not like that Mom… I just want her help with something." Moira only focused on the fact that she did not hear a no come from his lips. She became determined to nurture a relationship between the two. She was taking his inquisitiveness towards her as a sign that maybe the dark days of being on the island were getting farther and farther behind him.